Yarn-spinning apparatus.



A. E. RHOADES. V

YARN SPINNING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30, 1912.

Pate nted Aug. 12, 1913.

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Witnesses.

'l'nventor. Alongo E. Fihoades,

A. E. RHOADES.

YARN SPINNING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED OCT. 30, 1912.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

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WiInesses. Inventor.

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unrrnn STATES rA-rnnr orrioa ALONZO E. RHOADES, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COM- PANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

YARN-SPINNING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 12,1913.

Application filed flctober 30, 1912. Serial No. 728,544.

bins so wound being used in the shuttles of feeler looms.

preliminary winding and then a main or service winding, with thepreliminary winding so laid that it will not present an obstacle to the free delivery of the yarn as the latter weaves 0E, and it has been found that if the preliminary winding or'bunch is tapered at its ends the yarn will not catch thereupon. Prior patents have been granted to me for apparatus of this general ch-ar ac ter, and in No. 913,16% dated February 23, 1909 I have shown an apparatus whereby the preliminary winding is laid with a short and practically uniform-traverse,but with an increased gain, through the medium of a rocking traverse shifter, pivoted on a re-. ciprccating carriage and cooperating with a shiftable fulcrum during the preliminary winding, the normal galn throughout the winding being effected by the winding mechthereomand a shiftable fulcrum with which said traverse-shifter cooperates during the preliminary winding.

My present invention has for its object the .;production of a simple mechanism whereby the preliminary winding will be laid with taperedlends and with a gradually increasing traverse, such mechanism being operated by a builder-motion the winding mechanism of which is arranged to let off thechain. Thus the operation of the wind- .ingzmechanism herein .is similar to that disclosed in my earlier patent above mentioned, whilethe manner in which the preliminary winding is :laid is more in accordance with that-disclosed in my later patent.

The novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoincd specifi- Apparatus of varlous forms have been. devised to lay the yarn so as to produce a? cation and :particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a spinning frame, showing the buildermotion anda part of the connection between it and -the-ring-rail, which latter is shown at the bottomof its-traverse and in readiness to begin the-preliminary winding or bunch on anew set of bobbins after the completed set has beendotl'ed; Fig. 2 is .an enlarged detailin front elevation ofthe traverse shiftlng means embodyingmy present invention and whereby the shorter traverse for the preliminary winding is changed automatically at the proper time to provide the longer traverse for the main or service wind ing; F1g. 3 1s atop plan view, on a much larger scale,.of-the major portion of the mechanismshown in Fig. 2; Fig. at is a transverse sectional detail taken on the line 4t, Fig.8, looking to the right, the traverse shifter being shown in elevation, however; F-ig. is an enlarged detail in front elevation of the-traverse shifter, the shiftable fulcrum therefor, and the can. which controls the position of the movable fulmay be all as in my Patent No. 913,164;, the rail being lifted by a weight (not shown) attached to one of the rockers, as in said patent, and the several rocker-arms are in practice connected by suitable links, so that simultaneous reciprocating movement is transmitted to the several lifter-rods from the weighted rocker, in a manner familiar to those skilled in the art.

The builder-motion comprises the usual builder-arm 7 fulcrumed at 8 and having a roller 9 to cooperate with a suitable actuating or traverse-cam 10, and the winding mechanism mounted on the builder-arm, said mechanism including the drum 11, attached worm-gear 12 rotated through a worm (not shown) on the pick-shaft 13, the pick-wheel 1 1, and the actuating pawl 15, all being substantially as shown in my Patent No. 913,16d.

The gradual rotation of the drum lets off the attached chain or other flexible connection 16, which latter is connected,through the traverse-shifting mechanism, with the ring-rail, the latter rising and falling with the builder-arm, letting off of chain 16 effecting the gain of the traverse, as will be understood, the builder-arm being oscillated with a constant stroke. The chain 16 leads up over a guidesheave 1.7 on the longitudinal girder 18 of the main frame and is attached to the hook 19 of a T-shaped coupling 20, which has pivotally connected with it a link 21, and below the link said coupling has an eye 22 in which is slidably mounted a rod 23 provided at its outer end with a collar 24, and between said collar and the eye a'strong spring 25 is coiled about the rod, Fig, 2. The expansive force of the spring acts normally to position the rod as shown in Fig. 2, and holds an adjustable collar 26 against the eye 22, the inner end of tee rod having a flexible extension, shown as a short chain 27, attached thereto.

The rigid connector 21 and the extensible connector 23, 27 are connected with a traverse shifter 28, to be described, mounted on a carriage 25) provided with lateral side ribs 30, Figs. 3 and l, which slide in horizontal guideways 31 in the laterally separated sides or cheeks of an open frame, the cheeks being rigidly connected and spaced apart by cross-bars 33, Fig. 3, and in practice such frame is rigidly attached by brackets 31, Fig. 2, to the girder 18. At its inner end the carriage has a hook directly connected preferably by a chain 38, Figs. 2 and 3, with one of the rockerarms 6, so that the horizontal reciprocation of the carriage is transmitted through the rockers and the lifter-rods to the ring rail 1, to effect the vertical reciprocation or traverse thereof. The opposite end of the carriage is slotted at 37 to receive the hub 38 of the traverse shifter 28, shown as a lever having a horizontal pivot 39 passed transversely through the carriage and through the hub 38, Fig. 1, the traverse shifter extending substantially equal distances above and below the carriage, the latter having ears 40 at the sides of the slot 37, between which the hub 38 fits easily.

As shown in Fig. 5 the hub 38 is cut away at the front face of the traverseshifter, at 38*, for a reason to be explained, and the adjacent one of the ears 4:0 does not extend below the carriage, as will. be apparent from Fig. 4-.

Referring to Fig. 2 the connector 21 connects the coupling 20 and the upper end of the traverse shifter, while the extensible connector 23--27 connects said coupling and the lower end of the traverse shifter by means of a hook l1. During the preliminary winding the connector 21 is the member through which the uniform oscillations of the builder-arm are transmitted to the traverse shifter and carriage and thence to the ring-rail, as will appear presently, but during the service whirling both connectors operate, substantially as a unit, and there is practically no relative movement of the traverse shifter and carriage.

At its upper end the traverse shifter 28 has a frontwardly extended stud 12, which supports the hub 43 of a pawl-carrier 44: having an attached pawl 44; offset from the front check 32, 3 and 4, and longitudinally adjustable on the pawl-carrier by a slot and bolt connection 4-5, 1-6, the pawl. being arranged to cooperate with and effect step by step rotation of a ratchet 17 mounted to rotate on a horizontal stud 18 projecting from the front check of the open frame.

A. portion 49 of the ratchet is smooth, and the rear face of the ratchet has attached to or forming a part of it a cam 80, a stop lug 51 projecting from the front face of the ratchet, to cooperate with an arm 52 held in angularly adjusted position on the stud l8 by a set-screw see Figs. 2, 3 and The angular adjustment of said arm at the beginning of the winding determines the amount of yarn to be laid in the preliminary winding or bunch, substantially as in my Patent No. 1,037,318. That is, if the arm 52 is adjusted upward to the left, Fig. 2, the are through which the ratchet and cam are turned will be increased, and more yarn will be laid in the bunch, whereas opposite ad justment of said arm will decrease the amount of yarn laid inthe bunch. A detent aawl 54h, pivoted on the front check at 55, cooperates with the ratchet 17, said pawl having an upturned and rearwardly extend ed releasing lug 56 adapted to be engaged and lifted at the proper time by a releasing cam 57 on the pawl 44*, to be referred to hereinafter. The ratchet 47 has secured to it a drum 58 to which is attached one end of a chain 59 having secured to it a resetting weight 60, Fig. 2, the chain being wound gradually upon the drum by the rotation of the ratchet, and acting to restore the ratchet and its adjuncts to the position shown in Fig. 2 before the winding of a set of bobbins is completed.

Herein the traverse shifter 28 is provided with a shiftable fulcrum, and to this end a lever 61 is fulcrum'ed at 62 on the front cheek 32 of the open frame, said lever being provided with a weight 63 at its inner end which maintains a follower lug 64: normally in engagement with the edge of the cam 50, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, the opposite or outer e'nd of said lever having a deep notch formed therein to present upwardly divergent sides or abutments 65, 66. As shown in Fig. 3 the lever 61 is bent or offset to pass under the cheek 32 and then it eX- tends parallel thereto underneath the carriage 29 adjacent and beyond the front face of the lower part of the traverse shifter 28. The side 65 of the notch is shown in Fig. 5 as toothed, and servesas a fulcrum upon which the traverse shifter rocks during a portion of the winding, and in the preferred construction the toothed side is engaged by the sharpened edge of a steel wear plate 67 secured to the bottom of a frontwardly proje'cting lug 68 on the traverse shifter, said lug easily entering the space between the sides 65, 66 of the notch.

Gradual rotation of the cam 50 in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 5, will depress the outer end of the member 61 and the toothed side 65- will be moved from full line position to dotted line position, and during such movement the successive points of engagemeint between the edge of the wear plate 67 and the fulcrum portion 65 will move gradually to the left, Fig. 5, during the preliminary winding. The pull exerted by the chain 16 when the builderarm descends is transmitted from the coupling 20 through the connectors to the traverse shifter 28 and holds the plate 67 against the fulcrum portion 65, and as the latter is substantially stationary the traverse shifter is rocked about the engaging edge of the wear plate as a fulcrum, the spring 25 yielding as the lower end of said shifter 28 swings to the right, beyond the position shown in Fig. 2. As the distance is short between the fulcrum point and the pivot 39 the carriage 29 will be given a very short stroke, back and forth, and through the intervening connections the ring-rail is reciprocated vertically with a very short traverse, to lay the preliminary winding. On the ascent of the builder-arm the usual weight which elevates the ring rail acts through the chain 36 to pull the carriage to the right, Fig. 2, and the upper end of the shifter 28 swings in the same direction, the plate 67 fulcruming on the side 66 of the notch in the member 61. This shifting of the fulcrum point of engagement between the plate 67 and the side 66 of the notch is what controls the advance in position of the upper ends of successive traverses in the preliminary winding to the desired extent, while the shifting of the fulcrum point of engagement between the plate 67 and the side 65 of the notch increases the length of the successive traverses in the pre liminary winding at the lower ends thereof. If the plate 67 did not fulcrum on the side 66 for example then the advance in position of successive traverses of the preliminary winding would be greater, being controlled entirely by the let-off of the chain 16; and the taper at the upper end of the bunch or preliminary winding would be flatter and not symmetrical with that at the lower end; but with the plate fulcruming on the side 66, the movement due to the let-off of the chain 16 is proportionately reduced so as to make this advance less and cause the taper at the upper end of the bunch to be sym metrical with the taper at the lower end. Thus the traverse shifter is oscillated at each oscillation of the builder-arm, and on each stroke of the pawl as to the left the ratchet 47, and with it the cam 50, will be given a slight angular movement, the step by step rotation thus imparted to the cam acting to depress the long arm of the fulcrum member 61, and gradually the toothed or fulcrum sides 65 will move downward toward dotted line position, Fig. 5. Conse quently the plate 67 will engage successively higher points on the side 65 and at the same time the point of engagement will move to the left. Herein the builder-arm and ringrail ascend and descend together, and the winding mechanism lets off the chain 16 slightly at each descent, so that the ringrail will not descend quite so low as on its preceding down stroke, and on its next up stroke it will rise a little higher than before, imparting the gain to the traverse, and manifestly the gain during the preliminary winding is slight. The step by step move ment or shifting of the fulcrum point for the traverse shifter 28 to the left, however, is sufficient to overcome the successive decreases in the descent of the ring-rail due to letting off of the chain 16, and a slight additional. descent of the rail is provided, while the letting off of the chain raises the rail a little higher on each up stroke. Consequently there is a slight but gradual increase in the traverse during preliminary winding, and the overlaps of one layer of yarn over and beyond the upper and lower ends of the preceding layer are substantially equal, and a bunch is wound with a gradual and substantially equal taper from its central portion to each end thereof substantially' as in my Patent No. 1,0 %T,31S. hen the high point of the cam :30 acts upon the member (51 the toothed fulcrum face or abutment is moved altogether out of engagement with the wear plate 6'7, and thereupon the connectors 21 and 23 27 act simultaneously and equally upon the traverse shifter 28, so that the latter rocks no more but moves with the carriage 29 as if it were a fixed part thereof. Thereby a longer stroke is given to the carriage than before, and the eorrespondingly longer traverse is imparted to the ring-rail, and is continued to the end of the main or service winding which completes the bobbin.

The longitudinal adjustment of the feed pawl on its carrier determines the amplitude of angular advance of the ratchet and the attached cam 50 on each feed stroke of the pawl during the preliminary winding, for if the pawl is set outward on its carrier more of the ratchet teeth will be taken up on each stroke, and the angular advance will be increased, whereas if the pawl is set inward less teeth will be taken up and the angular advance will be decreased correspondingly. Thus a few feed strokes of the pawl may be siiil'licient to complete the desired angular movement of the ratchet and its adjuncts, if a relatively small quantity of yarn is to be laid in the bunch, or a. considerable number of strokes may be neces sary, if a relatively large quantity of yarn is to be laid in the bunch. Herein I have provided a second and independent adjust ment, the pawl carrier having a foot 69 adapted to slide upon the top of the adjacent check 82 and also upon a bevel-ended releasing member or trip 70, slotted to re ceive a clamping bolt 71 by which it is secured on the check in longitudinally adjusted position. During the preliminary winding the foot 69 rides up onto the trip on each feed stroke of the pawl, and when it rides up it lifts or trips the pawl from engagement with the ratchet 4L7. Setting the trip to the right Figs. 2 and 3, hastens the tripping of the pawl and consequently shortens the amplitude of angular ad *ance of the ratchet, while setting to the left increases the amplitude of such advance, the adjustment being changed according to the character of the preliminary winding. By the two adjustments above referred to, I am enabled. to use a relatively coarse toothed, inexpensive ratchet while at the same time I can make any desired change in the amplitude of angular advance thereof as well as it could with a very fine toothed and much more expensive ratchet. After the rotation of the ratchet has brought. the smooth part 19 thereof opposite the detent pawl 5% any subsequent cooperation of the feed pawl and the ratchet will not effect any further advance of the latter, as will be obvious, for the ratchet will merely oscillate back and forth as the pawl reciprocates. he bodily and intermittent advance of the carriage and traverse shifter, due to the letting off of the chain 16, will finally bring the releasing cam 57 on the pawl beneath the lug 56 carried by the detent pawl 54L, at some time during the main winding, and said detent pawl will be disengaged from the ratchet, whereupon the weight 60, Fig. 2, descends and through the chain 59 turns the drum 58, the ratchet, and the cam 50 backward until the stud 51 brings up against the arm 52, re-setting these parts in readiness for beginning the winding of a new set of bobbins. hen the cam 50 is thus re-set to the position shown in Fig. 5 the fulcrum member 61 is returned by its weight 63 toward full line position until its upper edge strikes against the bottom of the plate 67. The re-setting means may be thrown into action (by disengagement of the detent pawl and the ratchet) at any time subsequent to completion of the preliminary winding, provided the carriage has moved far enough to the right, viewing Fig. 5, to carry the lug 68 past the notch in the fulcrum member 61, so that when the cam 50 is re-set in the position shown in Fig. 5 the upper edge of the member 61 will rise against the plate 67 on said lug 68. Thus the notch 65, 66 cannot engage the lug 68 and will not affect the operation of the builder-motion until the chain 16 is rewound on the form 11 during the dofliug operation.

By the two adjustments of the feed pawl, before described, the desired angular advance of the ratchet 47 can be effected with out causing premature cooperation of the cam 57 and the releasing lug 56 of the detent pawl.

At the time the winding mechanism of the builder-motion is wound back the carriage and traverse shifter will be moved toward the left, Fig. 3, to the position therein shown, and when the lug 68 is positioned above the notch in the fulcrum member 61. the latter will be moved by its weight 63 to full line position, Fig. 5, the width of the notch being ample for the free entrance thereinto of the lug 68.

The hub 38 of the traverse shifter 28 is cut away at 38* to avoid any interference with the member 61 when said shifter is rocked during bunch winding, as has been described. In Fig. 2 the traverse shifter is shown in mid-position, that is, substantially nprigl'it with respect to the carriage, about as it appears when the rail is up at the be ginning of bunch winding. When the chain. 16 has been let off enough for the upper end of the shifter to swing to the right of the position shown its lower end will of course swing to the left, and this is permitted by the flexible portion 27 of the lower connector, but when the shifter 28 is released from control by the fulcrum member 61, (at the end of bunch winding) said shifter will again assume its upright position. During the main winding this position is maintained, for the spring 25 is strong enough to overcome substantially any tendency to compression at that period of the winding operation.

I can increase the taper of the bunch by varying the angle of the faces upon which the traverse shifter fulcrums, and in Fig. 6 I show means for effecting such variation. The fulcrum member or lever. 61 has a wider notch 72 cut therein, and plates 73, 74: are attach-ed to the front face of the said mem ber by bolts 75, 76 passed through curved slots in the plates, the upper thickened ends of the plates projecting upward and into the notch. The upper end of the plate 73 has a toothed face 77 while the opposite and corresponding face 78 of the upper end of plate 74: is smooth, the lug 68, Fig. 5, entering between these faces during bunch winding, and cooperating therewith as hereinbefore described. Now by loosening the bolts 75, 76, and shifting the plates to the right, thereby inclining the faces 77, 78 more to the left the taper of the bunch will be in creased. The more the angular position of the said faces is changed as described the more steeply will the ends of the bunch be tapered.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it will be understood that a bunch having gradually tapered ends is laid by the mechanism herein illustrated, somewhat after the manner of the operation disclosed in my Patent No. 1,037,318. but with a much simpler form of apparatus and in connection with a buildermotion having a winding mechanism which lets off, rather than takes up, the chain. Thus I am enabled to attain, with either form of winding mechanism, practically the same results in the formation of a bobbin with a preliminary winding of yarn.

I prefer to use a wear or fulcrum plate, as 67, of hardened steel, as herein described, for such a plate can be readily attached to the lug on the traverse shifter, and will wear indefinitely, whereas the corner or edge of the lug 68 would tend to wear rapidly as said lug is in practice a part of the casting constituting the traverse shifter.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination, with an oscillating builder-arm having a constant stroke, a winding mechanism thereon, and a reciprocating ring-rail, of a carriage operatively connected therewith, a traverse shifter pivoted on the carriage, connecting means between said shifter and the winding mechanism, said means being let off gradually by said mechanism and imparting primal-11y a rocking motion to the shifter relatively to the carriage, a shiftable fulcrum aboutwhich the shifter is adapted to be rocked by or through the oscillation of the builderarm, said fulcrum cooperating with the shifter at the side thereof toward the builderarm, and means to shift the fulcrum step by step toward said builder-arm during a predetermined operation thereof, and thereafter to disengage the fulcrum altogether from cooperation with the traverse shifter, whereby the letting off of the connecting means operates to increase gradually the length of the traverse at one end of the stroke of the ring-rail, and the shifting of the fulcrum gradually increases the length of the traverse at the other end of the stroke, throughout the period of cooperation of the fulcrum and the traverse shifter and during which period the shifter is rocked relatively to the carriage.

2. The combination, with an oscillating builder-arm having a constant stroke, a winding mechanism thereon, and a reciprocating ring-rail, of a carriage operativ ely connected therewith, a traverse shifter pivoted on the carriage, connecting means between said shifter and the winding mechanism, said means being let off gradually by said mechanism and imparting primarily a rocking motion to the shifter relatively to the carriage, a lug on the shifter, having a lateral, beveled edge, a shiftable fulcrum to be engaged by such edge and located at the side of the shifter toward the builder-arm, the said shifter being adapted to rock on the fulcrum by or through oscillation of the builder-arm, and means to shift the fulcrum step by step toward the builder-arm during a predetermined period of the winding operation and thereafter to disengage said fulcrum and the edge of the shifter lug, the combined action of the gradually let-off connecting means and the shifting fulcrum, during the period when the shifter is rocked upon the latter, causing the ring-rail to be reciprocated with a short but gradually in creasing traverse, the traverse being lengthened at each end of the stroke of the rail.

8. The combination, with an oscillating builder-arm having a constant stroke, a winding mechanism thereon, and a reciprocating ring-rail, of a carriage operatively connected therewith, a traverse shifter pivoted on the carriage, connecting means between said shifter and the winding mechanism, said means being let off gradually by said mechanism and imparting primarily a rocking motion to the shifter relatively tothe carriage, a lug on the shifter, a wearplate thereon having a lateral, beveled edge, an abutment transversely toothed and adapted to be engaged by such edge and located between the traverse shifter and the builder arm, to constitute a shifting fulcrum on which the shifter is adapted to be rocked by or tl'irough oscillation of the builder-arm, a swinging member of which the abutment forms a part, and means to swing said member and thereby shift the fulcrum abutment step by step toward said builder-arm during a predetermined period of the winding op eration and thereafter to disengage said abutment and the wear-plate, the combined action of the gradually let-off connecting means and the shifting fulcrum, during the period when the shifter is rocked upon the latter, causing the ring-rail to be reciprocated with. a short but gradually increasing traverse, the traverse being lengthened at each end of the stroke of the rail.

t. In traverse controlling mechanism for yarn-spinning apparatus, an oscillating lniilder-arm having a constantstroke, a winding mechanism thereon, a reciprocating ring-rail, and a slidably mounted carriage operatively connected therewith, combined. with a traverse shifter pivoted on the carriage, a chain attached to the winding mechanism, and let off gradually thereby, an inextensible connector attached to the chain and to the upper end. of the traverse shifter, a spririg-controlled, extensible connector attached to the lower end thereof and to said chain, and a shiftable fulcrum for and upon which the traverse shifter is adapted to rock during a portion of the winding operation, said shiftable fulcrum acting upon the shifter between said connectors and at the side thereof toward the builder-arm, the spring-controlled connector yielding when the pull of the chain is transmitted to the traverse shifter through the inextensible connector.

ln traverse controlling mechanism for "arn-s )inning apparatus, an oscillating builder-arm having a constant stroke, a windin mechanism thereon, a reciprocating rail, and a slidably mounted carriage operatively connected therewith, combined with a traverse shifter pivoted 0n the carriage, a chain attached at one end to the winding mechanism and let off gradually thereby, a coupling attached to the other end of the chain and provided with an eye, a link connecting the coupling and one end of the traverse shifter, a rod slidable longitudinally in the eye, and a flexible connection between the rod and the other end of the shifter, a spring acting upon the rod and normally restraining. it from longitudinal movement in the eye, and a shiftable fulcrum adapted to engage the traverse shifter between its ends and on the side thereof toward the coupling, the shifter be ing adapted. to rock upon the fulcrum during a portion of the winding operation, the

spring yielding to permit such rocking motion when the pull of the chain is transmitted from the coupling to the traverse shifter through the link.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a lniilder-motion including a letting-olf winding mechanism and an attached chain, a to ci n'ocating ring-rail, and a slid-able carriage operatively connected therewith, com bined with an upright traverse shifter pivoted on the carriage, two connectors attached to opposite ends of the said shifter and to the chain leading from the winding mechanism, one of the connectors being yieldable longitudinally, a swinging lever having a fulcrum abutment thereon, a lug on the traverse shifter provided with a beveled, lateral edge to engage said abutnient between the connectors and at the side of the traverse shifter toward the chain, and means to swing the lever step by step and thereby shift the fulcrum abutment toward the builder-motion during a portion of the winding operation, the pull of the chain when exerted on the traverse shifter during cooperation of the lug thereon and said fulcrum abutment rocking the shifter, the yieldable connector at such. time permitting such rocking motion.

7. In traverse controlling mechanism for yarn-spinning apparatus, an oscillating builder-arm having a constant stroke, a winding mechanism thereon, a reciprocating ring-rail and a slidably mounted carriage operatively connected therewith, combined with a traverse shift-er pivoted on the car riage, a chain attached to the winding mechanism and let off gradually theii'ebv, an in extensible connector attached to the chain and to the upper end of the traverse shifter, a spring-controlled, extensible connector attached to the lower end thereof and to said chain, a shiftable fulcrum for and upon which the traverse shifter is adapted to rock during a portion of the winding operation, the spring-controlled connector lengthening temporarily when the pull of the chain is transmitted through the other com'iector to the traverse shifter, said fulcrum and the shifter cooperating at the side of the latter toward the builder-aru'i, and means to shiftthe fulcrum step by step toward the builderarm during the short traverse period and then to move the fulcrum to inactive position, the rocking motion of the shifter, in conjunction with the shifting of the fulcrum and the letting off of the chain, imparting a short and gradually lengthening traverse to the ring-rail while the fulcrum is in active position, the two connectors acting in unison thereafter upon the traverse shifter and moving it as a unit with the carriage to impart a longer traverse of uniform length to the ring-rail.

8 The combination, with an oscillating llt) builder-arm having a constant stroke, a winding mechanism thereon, and a reciprocating ring-rail, of a carriage operatively connected therewith, a traverse shifter pivoted on the carriage, connecting means between said shifter and the winding mechanism, said means being let off gradually by said mechanism and imparting primarily a rocking motion to the shifter relatively to the carriage, a lateral lug on the shifter, a hardened wear-plate on the lug, having a beveled edge, a lever having a lug-receiving notch toothed at one side to form a fulcrum abutment for engagement by said edge, and about which the traverse shifter is rocked to impart a short traverse to the ring-rail, and means to swing the lever and shift said abutment step by step to move the point of engagement between the abutment and the wear-plate toward the builder-arm, thereby to increase the length of traverse of the ringrail at the bottom of the stroke, the letting-off action of the winding mechanism effecting a similar increase at the top of the stroke, the swinging movement of the lever being continued until said plate and fulcrum abutment are wholly disengaged.

9. In apparatus of the class described, a builder-motion, including a winding mechanism and a chain let ofi gradually thereby, a reciprocating ring-rail and traverse controlling mechanism between it and said chain and including a reciprocating carriage, a traverse shifter pivoted thereon, and a fulcrum abutment about which the shifter is adapted to rock to impart a short but gradually lengthening traverse to the ringrail, combined with means to shift the fulcrum abutment step by step during its cooperation with the traverse shifter and then to disengage it wholly therefrom, said means including a ratchet, a feed pawl cooperating therewith and operated by movement of the traverse shifter, and a detent pawl to prevent retrograde rotation of the ratchet, a releasing lug on the detent pawl, a cam on the feed pawl, to cooperate therewith and disengage the detent pawl and the ratchet, at a predetermined point in the winding operation, and two independent devices to vary the active stroke of the feed pawl and thereby vary the angular advances of the ratchet.

10. The combination, with an oscillating builder-arm having a constant stroke, a winding mechanism thereon, and a reciprocating ring-rail, of a carriage operatively connected therewith, a traverse shifter pivoted on the carriage, connecting means between said shifter and the winding mechanism, said means being let off gradually by said mechanism and imparting primarily a rocking motion to the shifter relatively to the carriage, a shiftable fulcrum about which the shifter is adapted to be rocked by or through the oscillation of the builderarm, said fulcrum cooperating with the shifter both at the side thereof toward and the side thereof opposite the builder-arm, and means to shift the fulcrum ste by step toward said builder-arm during a predetermined operation thereof, and thereafter to disengage the fulcrum altogether from cooperation with the traverse shifter, whereby the letting off of the connecting means operates to increase gradually the length of the traverse at one end of the stroke of the ringrail, and the shifting of the fulcrum gradually increases the length of the traverse at the other end of the stroke, and controls the increase in length of the traverse throughout the period of cooperation of the fulcrum and the traverse shifter and during which period the shifter is rocked relatively to the carriage.

11. The combination, with an oscillating builder-arm having a constant stroke, a winding mechanism thereon, and a reciprocating ring-rail, of a carriage operatively connected therewith, a traverse shifter pivoted on the carriage, connecting means between said shifter and the winding mechanism, said means being let off gradually by said mechanism and imparting primarily a rocking motion to the shifter relatively to the carriage, a lug on the shifter, having opposite lateral, beveled edges, a shiftable fulcrum to be engaged by such edges, the said shifter being adapted to rock on the fulcrum by or through oscillation of the builder-arm, and means to shift the fulcrum step by step toward the builder-arm during a predetermined period of the winding operation andthereafter to disengage said fulcrum and the edges of the shifter lug, the combined action of the gradually let-ofl' connecting means and the shifting fulcrum, during the period when the shifter is rocked upon the latter, causing the ring-rail to be reciprocated with a short but gradually in creasing traverse, the traverse being lengthened at each end of the stroke of the rail.

12. In traverse controlling mechanism for yarn-spinning apparatus, an oscillating builder-arm having a constant stroke, a winding mechanism thereon, a reciprocating ring-rail, and a slidably mounted carriage operatively connected therewith, combined with a traverse shifter pivoted on the carriage, a chain attached to the winding mechanism, and let off gradually thereby, an inextensible connector attached to the chain and to the upper end of the traverse shifter, a spring-controlled, extensible connector attached to the lower end thereof and to said chain, and a shiftable fulcrum for and upon which the traverse shifter is adapted to rock during a portion of the winding operation, said shiftable fulcrum acting upon the shifter between said connectors and at the sides thereof both toward and opposite the builder-arm, the spring-controlled connector yielding when the pull of the chain is transmitted to the traverse shifter through the inextensible connector.

13. In traverse controlling mechanism for yarn-spinning apparatus, an oscillating buildenarin havii'ig a constant stroke, a winding mechanism thereon, a reciprocating ring-rail, and a slidably mounted carriage operatively connected therewith, combined with a traverse shifter pivoted on the carriage, a chain attached at one end to the winding mechanism and let off gradually thereby, a coupling attached to the other end of the chain and provided with an eye, a link connecting; the coupling and one end of the traverse shifter, a rod slidable longitudinally in the eye, and a flexible connection between the rod and the other end of the shifter, a spring acting upon the rod and normally restraining it from longitudinal movement in the eye, and a shiftable fulcrum adapted to engage the traverse shifter between its ends and on both the side thereof toward and the side thereof opposite the couplin the shifter being adapted to rock upon the fulcrum during a portion of the winding operation, the spring yielding to permit such rocking motion when the pull of the chain is transmitted from the c0upling to the traverse shifter through the link.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALONZO E. RHOADES. lVitnesses:

ROBERT JAMInsoN, E. D. Oseoon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). C.

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